What a fun fall day we had today! This week’s co-op preschool theme is apples. Monday they had an apple tasting. Today along with singing apple songs like, “I Like to Eat Apples and Bananas,” and practicing writing the letter E, we went and visited our Bishop’s apple farm. 

The Orchard is right across the road and absolutely one of my favorite parts about living in our neighborhood. Mary and I walked over with the whole gang. 

It was just perfect weather. Warm enough that the girls were in their sandals, no sweaters needed. But still cool enough to wear pants.

These girls. 

Sweet Sister Natalie Candall, was our tour guide this morning. She wasn’t quite ready for us when we arrived, so the kids played a little out in the year while we waited. The house looks out on the orchard. It seemed that we were in the middled of the country. Right in the middle of Orem. 

When they hear me call out, “who wants a wagon ride?” They all came a running! 

She may have gotten a bit more than she bargained for. 😉

With a smile on her sweet face she pulled the kids the 100 yards or so over to cider house. 

They held on to each other to make sure no one fell off.  

She explained that the apples were gathered and stored in these big bins. The kids seemed disappointed that there were no apples in this one. 

Not to fear, We went right in and they were met with two huge bins, each holding 1000 pounds of apples each. Or so sister Crandall said. 

“A THOUSAND POUNDS!”

She showed us how the apples were carefully poured onto the conveyer belt. 

Then sorted by size. 

She prepared the kids, by telling them it would be cold in there. 

Sorted apples, ready to be sold. 

Then there is the even bigger, COLDER fridge. 

Bins and bins of apples. 

Very impressive. 

And this was actually a very bad year for them. 

You see late in the spring there was a terrible frost that killed the vast majority of their apples. So sad. She was just so positive about it. Bishop is also a school teacher. So thankfully they were ok.  In her words, “It wasn’t as terrible for their family as it could have been.” In such a way, with no anger, just gratitude. It just made me lover her even more. 

The kids love her too.
She got the fridge all closed up, and the kids waited for her on a cart. 

I was there too. And Lucas.
We got our flu shots that morning. We were tired from another terrible night’s sleep. But happy to be out of the house having fun with everyone. 

Next she showed us where they brush the apples. How they are polished. 

It was so cute. She showed how simply rubbing the apple on your shirt, shines it right up. But it woule take too long, and she wouldn’t want to use her shirt all day, so they have a machine with roller brushes that can do it quickly and easily for them. 

Here they come out, all brushed up and shinny. 

Next, she showed us the fork lift. 

She asked the kids to guess how high it would go…

Once it was safely off, each of the kids got a chance to sit up on the forklift.  

Then we got a look at the fruit stand. 

Sister  Crandall got a bucket of apples enough for each of us to have one. While she rinsed them off the kids cutely waited together. 

Apple time!!!

Happy eating their apples! 

Our last official stop, was a seat on the tractor each. 

Mirah was just loving her apple.
Little lovely face. 

Such a beautiful place. 

We went in to grab a bag of apples, and each of the kids got another one. 

Apples and smiles all around! 

SO thankful for Sister Crandall. You can just see it in her wonderful face. Such a loving and kind woman. The kids had such a fun time, and so did I. Thanks to her for her time spent with us today. 

The gang, excited, apples in hand heading home.

It was a nerve racking walk home with the kids, but can you blame them?
They had just had so much fun.